Category Archives: teaching

Last fall, students in the non-major level Conservation Biology class, taught by professor Cathy Collins, researched and wrote children’s books about the ecology and conservation of Hudson Valley ecosystems. They first consulted with first- and second-graders in October to find out what they knew, and worked in groups to write and illustrate books. In December, 2016 Bard students visited the JFK Elementary school in Kingston again, this time to read their stories to the children. They then donated their books to each classroom, and a story to each child.

This project was supported by the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard.

Each spring, glass eels make their way from the Sargasso Sea to the Hudson River and then swim up various tributaries, including the Saw Kill. The New York DEC organizes the Eel Project where they set up eel nets across the Hudson River tributaries to track and count eel populations and migrations. The Bard College Field Station is one of the many locations that collects the data, and on March 28 we will be installing the eel net! For the next two months or so, we are looking for volunteers to come down to the field station and record data. Experience is not necessary as we will have trainings for the first week, and there will always be an experienced eel monitor with each group! To sign up, e-mail Olivia Williams.

A publication by Brooke and Craig Jude in JMBE is focused on building microbial fuel cells (bacterially powered batteries) in the college and local school classroom! These microbial fuel cells serve as lab projects in Brooke Jude’s BIO145 Environmental Microbiology course and are also constructed when local 8th grade classes visit Bard through Center For Civic Engagement (CCE) sponsored events (that are taught by Bard students!)

January Intersession 2016

The Bard College at Simon’s Rock program in Montserrat is an opportunity for students to engage both theoretically and practically in tropical ecology, conservation biology, and island and global sustainability issues. This year, in partnership with Marist College and Bard College, students will have the opportunity to study the island’s ecology, including endangered and endemic species; receive training in ecological survey methods; and participate in one of several opportunities for community service.